U.S. Charges Tren de Aragua Leader With Terrorism

U.S. Charges Tren de Aragua Leader With Terrorism \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ The U.S. Department of Justice has charged a high-ranking Tren de Aragua leader in Colombia with terrorism offenses — the first such case involving the Venezuelan gang. The charges are part of President Trump’s aggressive immigration and anti-gang crackdown. Prosecutors accuse the gang member of aiding international drug trafficking and supporting a terrorist organization.

Quick Looks

• Historic Case: First terrorism charges filed against a Tren de Aragua member
• Gang Status: Designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the Trump administration
• Defendant: Jose Enrique Martinez Flores, 24, accused of drug trafficking and terrorism support
• Arrest Location: In custody in Colombia, awaiting extradition or legal proceedings
• Law Applied: Material support statute traditionally used for ISIS, al-Qaida
• Trump’s Tactic: Uses 1798 wartime law to deport Venezuelan migrants
• Attorney General: Pam Bondi vows full dismantling of “terrorist gang”
• Statute Power: Enables terrorism prosecutions beyond traditional extremist groups
• RICO Case Parallel: DOJ also filed racketeering charges against TdA in recent weeks
• Broader Push: Part of Trump’s immigration and national security crackdown

Deep Look

The U.S. Department of Justice has filed unprecedented terrorism charges against an alleged senior member of Tren de Aragua (TdA), a violent Venezuelan criminal organization that has increasingly been tied to drug smuggling and organized crime in the United States.

Announced Wednesday, the charges mark the first use of U.S. terrorism statutes against a member of the gang since President Donald Trump designated Tren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization. The designation, issued as part of Trump’s broader immigration crackdown, is enabling federal prosecutors to expand their use of powerful national security tools typically reserved for extremist groups like al-Qaida and ISIS.

From Street Gang to Terrorist Entity

The transformation of Tren de Aragua’s legal status — from violent gang to formally recognized terrorist group — signals a dramatic shift in how the U.S. government is targeting transnational crime.

Attorney General Pam Bondi, in announcing the charges, underscored this shift:

“TdA is not a street gang — it is a highly structured terrorist organization that put down roots in our country during the prior administration. Today’s charges represent an inflection point.”

This case, she added, is the beginning of a broader campaign to dismantle the group’s influence in the U.S.

The Defendant: Jose Enrique Martinez Flores

The 24-year-old Colombian national Jose Enrique Martinez Flores was indicted in Texas federal court on terrorism and drug trafficking charges. The DOJ alleges that Martinez Flores played a key role in the international cocaine trade, acting as a part of the gang’s inner leadership circle.

The charges include:

• Conspiring to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization
• Providing material support to that organization
• Participation in international drug trafficking networks

Martinez Flores is currently in custody in Colombia, and the U.S. is pursuing legal channels to either extradite him or prosecute him with international cooperation.

If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Legal Leverage: Material Support Statute

The DOJ is invoking the material support statute — a legal provision more commonly used against those assisting militant jihadist groups — to prosecute Martinez Flores. Under this statute, it is illegal to knowingly support, fund, or facilitate the operations of a group the U.S. government designates as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO).

The statute has been effective in cases where defendants didn’t carry out violence themselves but were involved in logistics, finance, recruitment, or propaganda.

Now, it is being deployed against Tren de Aragua, dramatically expanding the scope of its use.

Trump’s Immigration and National Security Strategy

The criminal case follows the Trump administration’s strategy of treating drug cartels and violent gangs as national security threats. In a rare move, President Trump applied the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 — a wartime law — to facilitate the deportation of Venezuelan migrants connected to the gang.

In public remarks, Trump has called Tren de Aragua an “invading criminal force,” likening the group’s cross-border movement to an act of war.

“This is not just immigration — it’s invasion,” Trump said at a recent press briefing. “We are using every tool we have.”

The administration’s aggressive stance has included:

• Using terrorism laws to prosecute organized crime
• Increasing ICE raids against suspected TdA affiliates
• Deporting migrants to detention centers in El Salvador
• Expanding cross-border intelligence-sharing with Colombia and Venezuela’s neighbors

A Pattern of Expansion

The Tren de Aragua gang — which originated in Venezuelan prisons over a decade ago — has expanded its footprint across Latin America, the United States, and Europe. Authorities blame the group for crimes ranging from human trafficking and kidnapping to drug smuggling and contract killings.

In the U.S., federal and local law enforcement have noted an uptick in TdA-linked crimes, especially in urban centers with large Venezuelan diaspora populations.

Just last week, the DOJ filed RICO charges (racketeering) against over two dozen alleged members of the gang, marking the first use of Mafia-style federal racketeering statutes against TdA.

That indictment accused gang affiliates of:

• Sex trafficking of Venezuelan women
• Distribution of a synthetic drug cocktail known as “tusi”
• Weapons trafficking
• Violent home invasions

Global Implications and Ongoing Crackdown

The Biden administration had previously declined to label Tren de Aragua as a terrorist group, citing diplomatic and humanitarian concerns about escalation. Trump’s team, by contrast, has prioritized symbolic and legal designations to isolate and prosecute the gang under national security frameworks.

Officials say more international arrests and designations are expected as part of a broader counter-terrorism strategy targeting non-ideological violent networks.

The DOJ continues to collaborate with Interpol, Colombian intelligence, and U.S. immigration enforcement to locate additional high-ranking TdA members.

“This is not about drugs alone,” Bondi emphasized. “This is about protecting our borders, our communities, and our national integrity.”

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